The "singular importance of the president's duties" warrants a stay where civil actions, such as this one, "frequently could distract a president from his public duties, to the detriment of not only the president and his office but also the nation that the president was designed to serve. Requiring President Trump to litigate the merits on a motion to dismiss the complaint, in addition to moving to dismiss on grounds of presidential immunity, would negate the very interests the immunity is designed to protest.

Trump's lawyers said that Trump has an exceptionally busy schedule, particularly during his first 100 days in office, the Los Angeles Times notes.